2 Configuration

2.1 Setup and device configuration

This chapter explains how Windows, Soundpad and voice applications must be configured, in order for Soundpad to work correctly.

By default, Soundpad gets installed on the default recording device, and it also configures all of its requirements automatically.

Windows

1. Press Win+R and type mmsys.cpl

2. This window pops up.

It shows your recording devices and marks the default one with a green check icon.

Most voice applications are preconfigured to use the default recording device.
Windows recording devices

Soundpad

This is the device control panel in Soundpad. You can access it by going to File ▶ Preferences and switching to the Devices tab.

The default recording device is marked with a green check icon, just like in Windows.

Soundpad is only activated for devices, whose Use-Checkbox is checked.

On Win7, 8 and 8.1 only: The checkbox Disable Windows Audio DRM Validation must be checked, too.

If everything is okay, the status will be a green Good, otherwise it is red and will show you further information about the reason.

Soundpad device preferences

Voice applications

In your voice application you need to select the same recording device, which you configured Soundpad for.

If you didn't change the voice application's configuration, then it usually uses your default recording device.
Some voice applications filter sounds fiercly. Played sounds might sound strange, get cut off or filtered out entirely.

You need to turn off such filter settings in the voice application. Here is a list of a few voice applications and their filter settings.

If you have trouble with the audio quality and your voice application isn't listed, then please choose one of the listed apps as a template and search for similar filter settings in your voice application. The filter settings commonly have names like Noise suppression, Noise reduction or Echo cancellation.

2.3 Audio configuration

There is a total of three volumes, which must be distinguished when using Soundpad.
  1. Soundpad speaker output volume:

    You can adjust it with the volume slider in the main window.

  2. Soundpad microphone output volume:

    It's the volume, at which others will hear your sounds.

    You can adjust this volume in the audio control panel at File ▶ Preferences ▶ Audio ▶ Volume normalization. It is recommended, that you measure the volume of your voice with the integrated test and that you use dynamic volume adjustment. This will ensure, that your sounds are played as loud as your voice, no matter how loud or quiet the sound's original volume is.

    Details are explained in the Audio preferences of Soundpad when you click the question marks therein.

  3. System wide microphone recording level:

    It is the volume, that you can configure in this panel in the audio preferences of Windows.

    Changing the microphone volume level or muting it does not affect Soundpad.

    If you play a sound with Soundpad while your microphone is muted, others will hear that sound.

Volume normalization

Soundpad's algorithm is based on the EBU 128 recommendation, which is also used by European television and radio stations.

When used on a complete file, then the result is exact. But the analysis of a whole file can take some time. Therefore, when used with the option dynamic volume adjustment, then the first 6 seconds of a sound file are analyzed on playback to estimate the initial adjustment factor. This takes only a few milliseconds. The analysis continues while the file is being played back and the initial estimation becomes more and more precise and as such the volume adjustment improves.

This works for each channel separately, meaning that a stereo file with a quiet left channel and a loud right channel will get normalized, so that both channels have the same volume.

Block voice

You can enable this option at File ▶ Preferences ▶ Audio ▶ Block voice.

This option blocks everything your microphone records while you play a sound on the microphone and allows you to transmit your sounds in their best quality without disturbing microphone noise.

Voice activation sound

You can enable this option at File ▶ Preferences ▶ Audio ▶ Play voice activation sound.

It can be of help if you're using voice activation instead of push-to-talk in your voice applications.
Sometimes sounds may start off a little too quietly, so that the voice activation threshold is met too late and the beginning of the sound is not transmitted to your interlocutors.

This option plays another very short, but properly loud sound before playing the actual sound and triggers the voice activation beforehand. You can also exchange the provided sound with one of your own sounds.

The sound is played on the microphone only.

The sound is not affected by the volume normalization and is played in its original volume.